Electric-light-cord reel



H. E. JOHNSON.

ELECTRIC LIGHT CORD REEL.

APPLICATlON FILED APR. 19, 1918.

1,361,465. Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

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illli'lllil HENRY E. JOHNSON, DONNYBROOK, NORTH DAKOTA.

ELECTRIC-LIGHT-GORD REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

P atented Dec. 7, 1920.

Application filed April19, 1918. Serial No. 229,565.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E; JorrNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Donnybrook, in the county of Ward, State of North Dakota, have invented a new and useful Electric-Light-Cord Reel; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved electric light cord reel, and an object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved and practical device of this kind, which may be manufactured for a small cost and sold at a reasonable profit.

Heretofore the cord reel for electric lights, the cord is wound on the reel from one end only, and this requires that the current be maintained by means of frictional contact between members. In other words the wire carrying the electric current to the bulb is required to be connected in some suitable manner to the shaft on which the reel rotates, and then the hub of the wheel must remain in contact with the shaft to carry the current, and the cord carrying the bulb must necessarily be connected to the reel, so as to carry the current.

The present invention aims to eliminate these disadvantages, by having the electric cord to the bulb unbroken, and to provide an improved reel, for reeling the cord from the center toward both ends. By this arrangement the electric light may be raised more rapidly and avoids the impractical frictional means, to maintain the circuit.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved reeling or winding device as ap plied to an electric light cord suspended from the ceiling.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the same, showing the reel in section and also the spring means.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View through the casing, showing the reeling and spring means in elevation therein.

Fig. a is a sectional view on line 4- of 2 lg. v3.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring more especially to the drawings 1 designates a casing which may be any suitablev shape or construction, preferably spherical, and preferably consisting of two sections 2 and 3, one telescopically fitting the other and being secured by suitable screws 4. One section 2 of the casing has a bearing 5 for the shaft 6. The other section 3 has a bearing 7 in which the other end of the shaft 6 is secured by the pin 8. A suitable drum 9 is mounted revolubly on said shaft and the body of the drum has a laterally extending eye 10. The drum has circular flanges or disks 11 and 12 at both ends. The disk or flange 11 has a laterally extending pin 13, and connected to said pin is one end of the wound tensioned spring 14, the other end of which is secured by a screw 15 to the projection 16 of the section 2 of the casing. It is to be noted that the bearing 5 is formed in the projection 16. The lower part of the section 2 of the casing has a flanged opening 17 and the upper part of the section 3 has a flanged opening 18. The electric light cord passes through the casing and through the openings 17 and 18, and through the eye 10 of the body of the drum. The circular flange or disk 12 has an exterior hub 19, which is chambered out as shown at 20. The shaft 6 where it passes through the chamber 20 is provided with diametrically opposite notches 21, and pivoted at 22 in the chamber 20 are pawls 23 provided with lugs 241-, adapted to engage the diametrically opposite notches 21. The spring 14 is normally wound, and the spring by being normally wound will hold the electric light cord normally wound on the drum or reel, from the middle toward both ends, and when the cord is entirely wound onto the drum the electric light bulb 25 is adjacent the opening 17, and the opening 18 is adjacent the hanger or cord fixture 26 of the ceiling. It is to be noted that when it is desired that the bulb be lowered, a pull is imparted on the bulb, in which case the cord will unreel from the drum. When the drum is rotating rapidly against the action of the spring 1 1, the pawls 23 will be thrown outwardly centrifugally, to release the drum. However, by virtie of 10 is placed on the side of the body of the drum, then it will be seen that by holding the casing and agitating the cord up and down the drum may be agitated to release the pawls. However, should the pawls bind,

, in fact will not freely act or respond to the centrifugal force, some suitable tool (not shown) may be inserted through one or the other of the openings 27, to move the pawls 23, so that the spring may rotate the drum and reel the electric light cord. 7

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is V A reel fixture for electric light cords, said fixture comprising a reel having therein a shaft, axiallyalined bearings or bosses for supporting said reel and shaft, semi-spherical members on the concaved sides of which the bosses are integrally formed and centrally disposed, a spiral spring surrounding one of the bosses and having one of its ends secured to the boss and its other end secured to the reel, a cord oppositely wound on the reel, said reel being disposed in a horizontal plane, the connection between the semi-spherical member being in a vertical plane at a right angle to the reel shaft, outwardly extending hollow extensions carried by the semi-spherical members, and extending in opposite directions through which the ends of the cordsfeed, said shaft being secured in the bearing of the boss opposite the spring engaged boss and'ratchet and pawl means for holding the reel in any position against the action of the spiral spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to th1s speelficatlon 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY E. JOHNSON.

Witnesses r E. H. WonsEY, J. M. THORNTON. 

